Peach Tea For Rent
by kandy2431
Summary: A devil fruit user who earns her money by performing on the streets has a life-changing run in with the straw hatted captain. Follow her as she finds out genuine people still exist, and love is just around the corner.
1. Chapter 1

Piman island; It's a small, quaint little island on the border of the east and south blues, best known for it's shape, which is of a bell pepper, and that it was a port that welcomed both merchants, travelers and pirates alike. It was where crews could re-stock, relax and over-all just have a good time before setting off for their next destination, merchants could sell off their goods, and performers could show off their skills to passer-by.

One performer in particular was attracting quite the crowd that day.

She was of average height for an 18 year old (around 5'5), with tanned skin, gray eyes and pale blonde curls tied into a very loose braid cascading to just past her shoulder blades, a head band keeping her bangs out of her face except for a curled strand on each side of her face. She had black stud snake bite piercings on the right side of her lips, a silver nose stud, and multiple ear piercings on both ears. She wore a pale green low V-neck dress with a magenta lace undershirt, a light brown leather belt that held a dagger on each hip, a few pouches and a wrench and high-heeled black sandal type shoes. She had assorted bracelets on her wrist, two strands of colorful clay beads that hung from her neck and a simple black choker.

Her looks were what brought in the men, but her performance was what kept them, and their lady friends, completely enamored by her.

Her act, in the most simplest form, was a magic act of sorts.

Or, well that's what the children called it anyway, and she really just went with that.

What she did in her performance though wasn't pulling a rabbit out of a hat or slicing a person in two. No, her performance was bring completely inanimate things to life.

People from all over the island would come to watch her bring their pocket watches, pens and teddy bears to life. Giving the objects a life of their own. Some just floated off of the person's hand, and others grew small arms and legs and ran off. But those would usually come back, shaken and ringing inaudible things.

Some called her a witch.

Some called her un-natural.

But she just called herself Noah, plain and simple.

She hadn't grown up on this island. She had gotten here on a small boat 4 years ago and had since made friends with the locals, aquired a job, and performed to make extra money. None of the villagers really knew her original origins, or really what she did when she went into the forest every night. All they knew was that she was kind, and good with the children and the old couple that own the inn she lives at adore her, so really, they don't care anymore.

But one day, a certain red vested, straw hat captain dragging along his newly recruited swordsman and first mate changed everything for Noah, turning her whole existence Topsy turvy.

"FFFFFFFFFOOOOOOOOOOD!" A voice roared through the bustling streets of Piman. A tornado like gust of wind blew through, knocking down women, men and children alike. Booths, merchants and performers a like were no match for this mystery menace running through the streets.

"FFFFFFFFOOOOOOOOOD!" The voice roared again.

Ad suddenly, the cause of the disturbance stopped in front of a small diner with no warning to anyone. and the villagers could only stand and stare at the boy who had caused all of this.

Yes, it was a boy.

Just a boy.

He was maybe 16, and was average height, 5'7 at the most. His shaggy black hair was covered by a golden straw hat with a red band of fabric circling it. Tanned skin, red vest and blue jean cut off shorts didn't really suggest anything overly spectacular of the boy.

But with the way he rampaged through the streets suggested something quite spectacular.

And Noah, who had been thrown into a building in the middle of her performance, and had lost the hat she had put all the money she had earned into,was thinking quite a few things about this peculiar stranger.

"LUFFY WOULD YOU STOP TERRIFYING THESE PEOPLE!" another man running down the street exclaimed.

This man was much different then the boy before him.

He was Noah's age, 18, maybe a bit younger, with sea green short chopped hair, a muscular body and 3 earrings on his left ear that were golden and glinted in the sun. With a white short-sleeved shirt, dark green haramaki and black pants and boots, he didn't scream anything extraordinary either. What did scream extraordinary was the three swords at his side. One white, two black, and all of them having detailed designs on them.

And in the process of getting to the boy, He pushed Noah, who had gotten up and was retrieving her money hat.

"EXCUSE YOU!" she hollered at the man, who didn't even turn around.

"God, people these days!" She murmured, picking up the once untainted black trilby hat that had held at least a million belli inside of it, and now only had a lonely hundred belli coin.

"Well shit." She cursed as she pocketed the coin "Half a performance ruined." She sighed, knowing she was gonna get an ear full tonight when she was as short as she knew she was going to be.

"Guess I should call it, no one'll wanna watch a magic show now." She said, speaking to herself as she examined the torn up booths, the merchandise that was scattered across the road and the people still panicking.

"I wonder why he didn't just go to the food district if he was so hungry" She mumbled. She was walking through the part of the island that mystery pair hadn't been through, the food district, looking at the booths that offered assortments of different colored and textured fruit, fish the size of a man 10 times bigger then herself and candy you would have to be insane to try.

Looking at one of the stall, Noah was trying to decide what to get for lunch when she felt someone tap her shoulder.

She turned over her shoulder, and behind her stood a woman a little bit taller then herself with short orange hair and wide set brown eyes. She wore a white V-neck short sleeved shirt that had dark blue stripes running horizontally around her bust and outlined the V-neck, an orange skirt that had 2 yellow rings on her left hip. She had drawing instruments and a briefcase in her arms, so Noah assumed she was a cartographer, or hoped to be one.

"Can I help you?" Noah asked the stranger

"I was wondering if you could point me in the direction of a high hill that over looks this island?"

Noah smiled and pointed her in the direction of Macabre hill, a breath taking little spot just outside this district.

"Thanks!" the woman exclaimed, waving and turning away

"Oh" Noah said "and before you go, there is one thing you should probably know" The woman turned around and asked her what it was.

"I'm a much more observant person then I seem, and that hundred belli coin in your hand is my only money for food. Please return it." Noah said, a smile on her face. The woman stiffened, and sighed, opening her hand, revealing she had indeed stolen Noah's only money, and reluctantly returned it.

"The dagger as well" Noah said, an eyebrow raised. "I assure you, those are not real gems, and it really isn't worth your pickpocket skills"

The woman again sighed as she reluctantly gave back the trinket dagger

"Sorry, it's a force of habit"

"I understand, just be more careful who you rob, next person might put a gun to your head. Fair traveling." Noah said, waving to the women and going on to the next stall.

Later on that day, Noah went back to her performing spot, an apple in her hand and a newspaper in her other.

"Axe hand Morgan...well, looks like he got what was coming to him. Pirate hunter Zoro though...he looks familiar." Noah mumbled, taking a bite of her apple.

"Noah Noah!" A small voice squeaked. A small brown haired blue eyed child came running to said woman, plowing into her legs.

"Woah there Cowgirl, hold them horses! What's wrong Nellie?"

"You gotta come quick! there's this man...he...I'm not to sure you'll even believe me if I tell you, so come on!" And with all the strength a 7 year old had, Nellie drug Noah in the direction she had ran from.

After some time, Nellie started to slow down and Noah started to hear laughter, and this was the kind of laughter you only hear a serious lunatic laugh.

"You're never gonna believe your eyes ever after seeing this!" Nellie exclaimed, still having a vise-like grip on Noah's hand.

"I'm sure that'll be the case...do you hear that laughing?"

"Oh, that's where we're going. Trust me, it's gonna be awesome!"

"I'm starting to have some doubts about that..." Noah laughed nervously. Nellie was a sweet little girl who was the daughter of the local blacksmith and shoe sale's woman. She was only 3 when she had first seen Noah's act, and had still been awestruck by the performance. After that Noah couldn't shake off the kid. But soon enough, had grown fond of her and had a sisterly bond before long. But sometimes what Nellie thinks is cool, is actually very dangerous and sometimes quite disturbing.

"Come on slow poke!" Nellie

"I'm coming, jeez"

Pushing through the large crowd that had gathered around this thing Nellie was so excited about, it almost became a down right chore.

Finally getting to the front of the crowd, she indeed didn't think she would ever believe her eyes again ever.

The boy standing in the middle was yelling at the kids as they ran with his arms, two on each arm, and wrapping them around him.

"That man...his arms are wrapped around him 6 times... and still going!" Noah mumbled in disbelief "It's just not natural..."

Said the woman who can make inanimate objects come to life.

"Wait a second..." Noah said, starting to recognize the boy "that straw hat...he's the guy that made me loose my money this morning!"

"He was the guy who messed up the merchants and performers district then?" Nellie asked, her large eyes looking up at her.

"...No" Noah sighed, looking at the child's horror struck face at the information about her new hero "I must be mistaken"

"Gosh, don't scare me like that! Come on, you should meet him! He's a really funny guy!"

"I'm sure he is..."

As you walked up to the straw hatted boy, the other kids see you and let go of the boy's arms, making them snap back to him and slap his face, and started to hang on you.

"Did you see Noah, his arms are like rubber huh?"

"Isn't he so cool?"

"It was amazing!"

"Okay, yes, it was quite something." Noah said, feeling a pang of jealousy from the attention this boy was getting. First he makes her loose her money and now he's taking all her customers for her performance? When will he be pleased?

"Who are you?" the boy asked as he brushed himself off.

"Noah, local magician."

Saying that, it was like Noah had set off a bomb in the boy.

"THAT'S SO COOL!" He exclaimed, getting into her face "Showmeshowmeshowmeshowme-"

"ALRIGHT ALL READY! Here, give me your hat" She exclaimed, putting her hand out. The boy was suddenly reluctant, touching the hat and looking at you with a scrutinizing glare. He took a second, but did take the hat off and handed it to you.

Noah first looked over the hat, running her right hand all around it as her left hand had a firm grip on the rim, getting a good feel for it. After a few more moments, Noah smiled and threw the hat up into the air.

"What the hell are you-" The boy exclaimed, bubbling up inside of him

"Wait for it..." She mumbled. The hat was still spinning, except now, something was sticking out of it. Noah smiled and stuck her hands out in time to catch the hat.

Except, when it landed, the hat landed rim first,and pieces of straw were supporting it, acting as legs, and two pieces of straw were on either side of the rim, acting as arms. The middle had three dents, two for eyes and one for a mouth.

"Yo!" The hat greeted, taking on the voice of the boy "Master! Isn't this chick-"

"THAT'S SO AWESOME!" the bot exclaimed "My hat can talk...how come you never did before?"

"_SHE_ MADE ME TALK, DUMB ASS!" The hat roared, smacking the boy.

"OW! You're a mean hat!"

"Okay, lets not start a brawl with a hat now" Noah said, taking back the Hat's life, and with a small poof, the hat was normal again.

"Here you go." Noah said, handing the kid back his hat.

"How did you make it talk?" He asked.

"I ate the ido ido no mi. It gave me the ability to bring non-living objects to move, fly around and give them a life of their own. Quite useful sometimes."

"Can you make me fly too?" He asked excitedly

"Oh, well no, I can't make other people fly. Only inanimate objects."

"Lame" He pouted

"Well thanks jer-"

"Hey, you should be my crew member!" He exclaimed suddenly

"Excuse me?" Noah stated

"Your power is super awesome! You gotta join me!"

"Hey, I don't even know your name!"

"Oh, right. I'm Luffy!"

"Neat, now get lost. I can't join any crew, I've still got business on this island!"

"Pfft, I bet you're just scared of being a pirate" He pouted

"N-no! I really can't!"

"Yes you can!"

"Nuh-uh!"

"Yea-huh!"

"Nuh-uh nuh-uh nuh-uh"

"Yea-huh times a million!"

"I'M NOT HAVING THIS CONVERSATION!" Noah screamed, running from the boy, or Luffy as he's called now.

"GET BACK HERE NAKAMA!" Luffy roared, running after the woman.

"I'M NOT YOUR FUCKING NAKAMA!"


	2. Ch 2: Ground Piano

Running away from Luffy proved to be so much more difficult than I had originally planned. I'm not saying that because he's been chasing me all around this damnable island for I don't know how long; no, that wasn't the reason at all.

The reason was because everywhere I went, every turn I took, the little punk was in front of me. It got to the point where the sun was actually going down, meaning we had been at this for HOURS now.

_*I've got to loose this guy...*_ I thought.

Then, suddenly my foot made a noise. And it wasn't just any old noise. It was a piano noise, it was a noise like something right out of a grand piano.

"What the hell..." I mumble, looking down to see ivory keys under my feet.

"Why young lady! I see you've found my ground piano!" A man, short, squat and bald with a mustache said, his cheerful voice faked and the greasy state his hair was in made me wonder how long it had been since he had seen a shower. His candy-cane styled sweat suit and sweat band he sported made me wonder if he was Santa's long lost son.

"Don't you mean Grand Piano?" I asked

"Nope! Ground. It's a gigantic piano, built into the ground! Quite the attraction I thought!" his voice cracked, and he started hacking and wheezing like a chain smoker.

"Quite" I agreed, tapping my foot on a key again.

"MAGICIAN!" A voice screamed, and low and behold, here comes Luffy charging down the street. I had been a fool to think I thought I may have lost him at that meat market.

_*Wait...were his pockets that large before?* _I thought, noticing his pockets were the size of small elephants.

I ran as fast as I could away from the ground piano man, Luffy hot on my trail until he got to the piano. I could hear him shriek gleefully when he realized what he was standing on, and could hear him have his fun with the new found toy.

I thanked my lucky stars then and there that this boy had the attention span of a mentally disabled squirrel. I was already late to my second job, and god have mercy on my soul if Joe found out.

Unbeknownst to myself, someone had been ordered by the straw-hat idiot to trail me, and he had other tactics than his captain.

He was on my heels as I entered the forest, a disappointed but unusually quiet Luffy in tow, and I didn't even know it.

* * *

><p><strong>Dear God I haven't touched this story in almost a year. Anyone who is reading this, bless you. And if you feel like it, you can shoot me for being so negligent of this little beauty.<strong>

**I apologize for how short this chapter is, though. I had bigger plans for it, but it felt so much more appropriate to end it here. I almost wish I had just tagged this part onto the first chapter. But, it's whatever, I spose'.**

**Anyway, for those reading this after my unintended year+ hiatus, you're the reason I breath now. That is all.**


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